A Guide To Buying Precious Gemstones

Jewelry is beautiful, but they can also cost a lot of money. Some people buy jewelry to match their style of clothing, while others buy jewelry as collectors’ pieces. There are also a lot of people that prefer to buy emerald loose stones instead of jewelry. These can then be used to make their own jewelry, such as an engagement ring, or it can be kept in a safe as part of a collection – in such a case, it would be an investment for the buyer. When it comes to choosing which stones to buy loose or fitted in a piece of jewelry, however, there is an overwhelming number of options to choose from. Gemstones are often classified into two different categories – precious gemstones and semi-precious gemstones. In this post, we’d like to focus on precious gemstones names and explore the options that you might be prompted with should you decide to opt for a precious gemstone.

What Are Precious Gemstones?

The term “precious gemstones” come from traditions that were practiced in the old west. These stones were the rarest of all gemstones and they also had the highest price tag to them.Gem Rock Auctions explain that today, however, all gemstones are really considered as precious. Still, some gemstones are looked upon as being especially precious and their price tags are definitely proof of this fact. Let’s take a look at the four primary “precious gemstones”.

Diamonds

Diamonds are one of the most popular types of gemstones. They can be found anywhere and the most common kind is the colorless option. Apart from the colorless diamonds that we often see in our local jewelry stores and especially on celebrities when we watch television, other colored diamonds also exist. The natural colored diamonds are usually referred to as “fancy diamonds” and they are more sought-after than regular colorless diamonds, but, at the same time, they are also much rarer and much more expensive.

Ruby

Ruby gemstones are also considered to be precious and rare today. The stones have a reddish tone to them, but the color can vary from a pinkish red to a blood red. These gemstones are classified as a mineral corundum variety and they form part of the cardinal gems group. A ruby’s value and quality are determined similarly to how a diamond stone is graded, with cut, color, and clarity all being important factors that are considered during the grading process. Similar to diamonds, a ruby is also weighed in carats.

Sapphire

A sapphire is classified as a mineral corundum variety, just like ruby is – this is just a different variety of the mineral (aluminum oxide). A sapphire diamond usually has a blue color, but there are sapphires that have other colors. A sapphire that is not blue is often considered as a “fancy” gemstone and its color may include orange, purple, green and yellow. Some sapphires are also found to contain two colors.

Emerald

The final stone that is considered to be a precious gemstone today is anemerald. This type of gemstone is also a mineral corundum variety and has a green color. The stone’s color is obtained by chromium, but vanadium can also cause the color variety of an emerald. One negative fact about emeralds is the fact that they usually have a lot of inclusions, especially when compared to the other most precious gemstones we have listed here.

Conclusion

While semi-precious gemstones offer beautiful stones at a fraction of the price, many people prefer to opt for a precious gemstone as they are often considered more valuable and of higher quality. There are only a few types of stones that are classified as precious gemstones and they can all be used to make magnificent pieces of jewelry, such as wristbands, necklaces and engagement rings. Knowing how to tell whether a stone is precious or semi-precious can be of great assistance when it comes to determining whether or not you’re paying an appropriate price.

With experience dating back to when brick and mortar was the ONLY source for shopping for diamonds, I have countless men find the perfect diamond for that special occasion. As your Personal Diamond Consultant, I'm here to make sure you end up with the perfect stone.